GEMINI RECOVERY SHIP COVER & POSTMARK VARIETIES

Gemini 8 - 17 March 1966

Recovery Force Ships0

Ship Type Designation Covers

Atlantic

USS Boxer1

PRS (intended) - Carrier

LPH-4

Y

USS Caloosahatchee0

SRS - Oiler

AO-98

Y

USS Charles P. Cecil0

SRS - Radar Picket Destroyer

DD-835

Y

USS Fidelity

SRS - Ocean Minesweeper

MSO-443

N

USS Goodrich

SRS - Radar Picket Destroyer

DD-831

Y

USS Myles C. Fox0

SRS - Destroyer

DD-829

Y

USS Noa

SRS - Destroyer

DD-841

Y

USS Paiute

SRS - Fleet Ocean Tug

ATF-159

N

Pacific

USS Leonard F. Mason

PRS (actual) - Destroyer

DD-852

Y

USS Cochrane

SRS - Guided Missile Destroyer

DDG-21

Y

USS George K. MacKenzie

SRS - Destroyer

DD-836

Y

USS Hassayampa

SRS - Oiler (recovery logistic ship)

AO-145

Y

Tracking & Communications Ships

USNS Rose Knot2

TS - Atlantic

T-AGM 14

Y

USNS Coastal Sentry

TS - Pacific

T-AGM 15

Y

USNS Range Tracker

TS - Position Unknown

T-AGM 1

Y

USNS Kingsport3

Communications Relay Ship - Pacific

T-AG 164

Y 

Not Involved

USNS Twin Falls

Tracking Ship

T-AGM 11

Y

USNS Wheeling

Tracking Ship

T-AGM 8

Y

USNS Coastal Crusader

Tracking Ship

T-AGM 16

Y


Cachets

Cachet

Description of Cachet

Colours Type 
Navy Recovery Force Cachet
GT-8 - Atlantic

Designed by Morris Beck it shows NASA Symbol & Stars

Maroon, Black, Green  Rubber Stamp 
Navy Recovery Force Cachet
GT-8 - Pacific

Designed by Morris Beck it shows NASA Symbol & Stars

Maroon, Black Rubber Stamp 
Beck Cachet - Atlantic Same as Navy Cachet Light-Dark Blue Printed 
Beck Cachet - Pacific Same as Navy Cachet Light Blue-Maroon Printed 
 GT-8 Cachet A small circular text cachet usually appears as an extra cachet. Produced by Morris Beck or Harry Gordon Black, Purple, Red Rubber Stamp

Postmark Variations

Ship

Description of Postmark

Scarcity
 USS Boxer  Machine Cancel Common
 USS Boxer Hand Cancel  Scarce

Navy Recovery Force Cachet Colours & Beck Cachet Numbers

Ship

Known Cachet Colours

Beck Numbers

USS Boxer Maroon1, Blue4 634, 637
USS Caloosahatchee Black 635
USS Charles P. Cecil Black 638
USS Goodrich Green 640
USS Myles C. Fox Green 636
USS Noa Black 639
USS Leonard F. Mason Maroon, Black 630
USS Cochrane Maroon 629, 632
USS George K. MacKenzie Maroon 631
USS Hassayampa Maroon 633

Interesting Cachets & Covers

Cachet

Description of Cachet

Colours Type 
USS Boxer5 Both hand cancel and machine cancel - possibly unique  Maroon  Rubber Stamp 
USS Leonard F. Mason6 'Return to Port' cover Black Text Label
USS Cochrane On a general Gemini 8 recovery cover B/W Printed

Note:
0) It seems that the USS Myles C. Fox was not officially involved in Gemini 8. As the very extensive USS Myles C. Fox website notes 'This was the mission that Fox aborted to attend to the fire aboard the Merchant ship MV Palma.'. A POD letter from the Fox written on her return to port states that three ships were diverted to aid the MV Palma, the USS Myles C Fox, the USS Caloosahatchee and the USS Charles P. Cecil. However, the Fox was diverted the day before liftoff while the other two were diverted during the mission. Hence the Fox did not actually participate in the Gemini 8 mission.
00) The USS Wasp was in dry dock for repairs.
1) A number of Beck type single colour USS Boxer covers without numbers are known. Known colours are:
Green, Blue, Gold and Silver/Grey with a hand cancel and Red with a machine cancel. The exact status of these covers is unknown but it is surmised that at least the ones with a hand cancel are crew covers. See my article for further information.
2) From the collection of Steve Durst
3) This was the USS Kingsport's last mission. After this mission she was on standby. See a note from the purser.
4) This colour is difficult to find
5) Sold on eBay May 2010
6) A second cover has been found in the collection of Eddie Bizub

 

This page © Dr Ross J Smith
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Last modified on 29 December 2011

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